What Matters at Work

This week a friend said she was brainstorming ideas that would make her and her department more efficient and productive, and since I was such a successful leader she wanted some ideas from me! After I picked myself up off the floor and sat w/ a blank mind and blank screen for a few minutes, the thoughts began to flow.

You have to understand: Most of the employees who work for me have at least one handicap and some have more. Some can produce at 100% efficiency or above; some can produce at 50% on their very best day. We are a non-profit manufacturing company and our goals are slightly different than most. Our #1 goal is to provide employment for people who are blind. In order to do that we have to provide quality goods & services at a competitive price, in a timely manner. Simple, huh?!?

You'll notice my ideas have very little to do with actual efficiency and productivity. In my particular case, it's more about how people are treated. If they feel valued they will give you all they've got. The very rare few don't want to work anyway and no amount of outside motivation seems to work.The very first idea that came to mind is that I have surrounded myself with some wonderful support staff. I let them know and I let my direct report know, too, that any success is ours; any failure is mine. I try to give them detailed instructions and the goal we’re trying to reach. Then I let them do their jobs. I don’t have to strain my neck looking over their shoulder.

Do I do all thethe following things? Don't I wish! Sometimes you’d think I get up in the morning just wanting to see how many people I can aggravate. That being said, here are some things that seem to matter:

• Praise people regularly. Even if their performance is poor, try to find something about them to praise. If the only thing coming out of my mouth is negative, they’ll never do anything positive.
• Don’t make it personal. a) Sometimes I have to reprimand/discipline employees that I have a good relationship with. I can’t let that good relationship enter into the particular situation. b) Sometimes I have to reprimand/discipline employees that I don’t have a good relationship with. I can’t treat them more harshly just because we don’t get along. c) Phrase reprimands/disciplines in such a way that doesn’t raise the other person’s defenses. “You make me so mad when you’re absent all the time”, doesn’t work nearly as well as “We have lots of orders and need everyone to be here everyday. If there’s a problem, let’s discuss it.”
• Forget ancient history. If an employee is trying to correct some inappropriate behavior and backslides, they need my support to get back on track, not a rant about how they’ll never get it right.
• Don’t make it a command. Even when giving direct instructions, say “Please” and “Thank you”. Manners matter. On the very rare occasion that it must be a command, it’s more effective.
• Work with people. Sometimes my work load is so heavy I can’t see the light of day, but if I hand someone else a long list of things to do, I offer to help if needed. In a manufacturing setting it is crucial that I understand how it all works together. The only way to do that is to get out in the plant and do the dirty work. The person packing at the end of the line appreciates that I’m out there seeing what they have to do every day.
• Treat everyone with respect. Just because a person works for me doesn’t make them less than me. Everyone and every job is important to the success of the company.

Pray before work; pray at work; pray after work; pray before every critical decision; pray before talking to someone. Pray! Pray! Pray! God has promised us knowledge, wisdom, insight, discernment and understanding - all necessary for success in leadership.